Oscar Piastri has stated that McLaren has resolved “a lot of things” about their future racing strategies following the controversy over their swap during the Italian Grand Prix.
The McLaren team’s ‘papaya rules’ regarding racing conduct among teammates were scrutinized during the last race when a slow pit stop for Lando Norris, who was leading in second place, caused him to fall behind Piastri, who had pit successfully a lap prior. McLaren quickly directed Piastri to relinquish his position, allowing the original order to be reinstated behind Max Verstappen, the race winner.
Following the race, McLaren boss Andrea Stella announced they would reassess the situation before Baku. In Thursday’s Drivers’ Press Conference prior to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Piastri said he and Norris are “very aligned” and looking forward to racing again. “We’ve had constructive discussions. It was clearly a widely discussed moment,” Piastri said. “We’ve clarified many aspects, and we understand our racing approach moving forward, which is what matters most.”,
Piastri Reflects on Team Dynamics
Piastri refrained from revealing specific details about their discussions, noting, “We’ve talked a lot about how we want to compete. It’s essential for us to keep that private since sharing information makes us vulnerable.” Norris, in his earlier press session, acknowledged it was indeed a major topic, stating, “It’s all we ever heard in our post-race interviews, and as a team, we discussed this matter extensively.”
Clarifying the Decision at Monza
Piastri did, however, specify a crucial element regarding McLaren’s decision-making during the Monza race. When directed via team radio to give back his position, he initially questioned, “We said a slow pit stop is part of racing, so what’s changed?” Two weeks later, Piastri explained that McLaren’s unconventional pit order contributed significantly to the decision beyond just Norris’s slow stop.
Maintaining Focus Ahead of Future Races
Piastri continued, “There were additional factors, particularly regarding the order of our pit stops, which played a part in our swap. I still stand by my point that a slow pit stop is just part of racing but in that moment, other circumstances influenced the action.” When asked if he would have acted differently if he were in first place, he replied, “I don’t really know. It might have added complexity. I can’t say how things would have turned out, and I’m not looking to find out in that scenario.”
Impact of Constructors’ Championship on Driver Dynamics
McLaren is in a position to clinch their 10th Constructors’ Championship this weekend if they outperform Ferrari significantly and maintain their position against other rivals. Despite this potential success, both drivers insist that it won’t affect their individual title battles. Norris said, “The approach remains unchanged regardless of the constructors’ standings,” while Piastri shared his pride in the team’s performance and the remarkable situation of potentially clinching the title so early in the season.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix Schedule
Friday September 19
6.55am: F2 Practice
9am: Azerbaijan GP Practice One (session starts at 9.30am)*
10.55am: F2 Qualifying
11.40am: Team Principals’ Press Conference
12.45pm: Azerbaijan GP Practice Two (session starts at 1pm)*
2.15pm: The F1 Show*
Saturday September 20
9.15am: Azerbaijan GP Practice Three (session starts at 9.30am)
11.10am: F2 Sprint Race
12.15pm: Azerbaijan GP Qualifying build-up
1pm: AZERBAIJAN GP QUALIFYING
3pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday September 21
7.55am: F2 Feature Race
10.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Azerbaijan GP build-up*
12pm: THE AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX*
2pm: Chequered Flag: Azerbaijan GP reaction
3pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1 heads to Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
